Page 212 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 11 February 2015
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That is a very important point. I very much hope for the sake of all the contractors that lost work, all the people that are now unemployed and all the business that the territory has lost as a result of this decision, that Mr Rattenbury will clarify it right now. His inability to do this, despite it being raised in question time yesterday, is a real concern for this place. I call upon Mr Rattenbury, I urge Mr Rattenbury, to stand up now—to seek leave, which we will grant—and clarify whether the tender process is indeed fair and whether the information given to all possible applicants was indeed the same.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra) (5.54): I rise this evening to speak in support of the amendment from Mr Barr. As members here may be aware or may recall, I spent 16 years working in my own small business, operating a dental practice here in Canberra. The announcement of this new local industry advocate is something that many people in small businesses around Canberra will be congratulating the government for. This is an advocate that is going to be able to work with local industry, to assist local industry to access government procurement contracts and get a hand up but not a handout.
I draw to members’ attention the statements of one particular industry group that came out describing the industry advocate as a boost for growth and jobs. That is the Master Builders Association of the ACT. What did the master builders have to say about the industry advocate? John Miller, Executive Director of the Master Builders Association of the ACT, said:
Master Builders strongly backs the Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s announcement of the new position today.
He went on to say:
The announcement shows the Chief Minister has listened to industry concerns and acted …
For too long work that can be done by Canberra’s builders has been exported at the expense of local jobs and wider economic benefits flowing to our community …
Master Builders has been working to inform the Chief Minister and his government about these concerns which were highlighted with the release of our Procurement Policy late last year.
Mr Miller went on to say:
Canberra’s builders are strong supporters of the Chief Minister’s push for more and better community infrastructure for the Canberra community and the ACT’s broader strategy to harness the economic gains the building industry can deliver.
Canberra builders are strong supporters of the Chief Minister’s push for more and better community infrastructure for the Canberra community and the ACT’s broader strategy to harness the economic gains the building industry can deliver.
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